Mohammed Hanif: The rest of the world has had it with US presidents, Trump or otherwise

By Dilip -

NB: A brilliant article. The USA has intervened militarily and politically, with disastrous consequences, in many parts of the world, not least during the Bangladesh war in 1971; Vietnam between 1963 and 1975, and Chile in 1973. America under this ruthless buffoon is invading itself. I wish America's Democratic voters well, and hope they succeed - but cannot forget the fact that millions of Americans turn a blind eye to the blatant racism and corruption of the Trump family. Thanks to Mohammed Hanif for articulating the views of many observers around the world. DS

Steve Bell/The Guardian
Our American friends are worried about their president. They are telling us – even in what may be his final months in office – that Donald Trump is sick, that he is a fascist, that he is a grotesque parody of a proper US president. As a long-suffering citizen of a world run by US presidents, may I remind them that he is not very different from the other presidents that I and the rest of the non-American world have suffered for the past half century. Americans say they are better people than Trump. In solidarity, one might be tempted to say that, yes, sure, we are also better people than Trump. But one is compelled to add that although those former presidents might have had better syntax than Trump, worn better-fitted suits, had finer dance moves, weren’t proud “pussy grabbers”, or cunning tax dodgers, being a world-class bully has always been a part of the job.

The US has always elected a bully, nurtured him and asked him to go out in the world and do the presidential thing: fight the evil that is the rest of us. At the same time they have expected their president to be nice at home, have mercy on their Thanksgiving turkey and keep talking about the American dream and affordable healthcare.

Abroad, US presidents have wrought havoc, invaded and destroyed places whose names they could never pronounce, hosted murderous dictators from around the world at Camp David and found even more bloodthirsty ones to replace them. Trump has just brought all that bullying home….

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/nov/03/donald-trump-us-presidents-joe-biden

Victor Jara murder: ex-military officers sentenced in Chile for 1973 death

Andrew Bacevich: High Crimes and Misdemeanors of the Fading American Century

Lucian Truscott: Trump wants to end the forever wars - except the one about oil and money

William Astore: The U.S. Military’s Lost Wars // Chris Hedges: The American Empire Will Collapse Within a Decade, Two at Most

HARRY BLAIN: America’s Wars always Come Home

Jill Lepore  A History of America’s military spending

Jonathan Freedland: Trump is destroying democracy in broad daylight // Chauncey DeVega: Vigilantes are preparing ‘to launch a coup’

Chauncey DeVega: Trump is mentally ill but our real sickness runs much deeper

America isn't breaking. It was already broken. By Andrew Gawthorpe // Why This Time Is Different. By Dahlia Lithwick


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